PRESS RELEASE 033
COURT UPHOLDS CHARGES AGAINST ALLEGED MEMBERS OF CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION
PNC officer amongst them
Guatemala, May 17, 2012. The Eighth Court of the First Criminal Instance for Criminal Matters, Drug Trafficking and Crimes against the Environment dismissed the request made by the Defense of Enrique Francisco Caal Xoy—National Civil Police (PNC) officer—and his brother, Mario Antonio Caal Xoy. The request sought to change the conspiracy to commit murder charge to charges of making threats and self-concealment. The pair are accused of planning and conspiring to murder a person.
The court also ruled that were no grounds on which to review the custody measure, because the accused parties were hoping that they be granted an alternative measure in order to regain their freedom. The judge argued that the circumstances of the case remained unchanged and thus it was not possible to accept the accused parties' requests.
The aforementioned subjects are accused of allegedly being linked to a criminal organization that operated in the departments of Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz and Guatemala City. As a police officer, Caal Xoy acted in an illicit fashion and disregarded his duty to protect the fundamental rights of people.
The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) acts as a complementary prosecutor in this criminal proceeding.
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